RM1b Arab boost for Malacca
MALACCA: The state’s tourism industry will get a boost following plans by Arab investors to pump in more than more RM1bil in investment to develop several tourist-related projects over the next three years.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the investments were to develop two Arab City projects on Pulau Melaka and Klebang.
Middle Eastern lure: Mohd Ali and Salleh Hadi Al Mansor, president of Golden Corporate Heritage, exchanging documents at the Arab City project groundbreaking ceremony in Malacca yesterday. The project on Pulau Melaka covers about 1.7ha and involves about RM400mil while the Klebang one, which covers an area of about 4ha, would see an investment of RM700mil, he told reporters after opening the Arab City project on Pulau Melaka here yesterday.
He said the projects would allow the state to better attract Middle Eastern tourists and give locals a chance to experience Arabic culture.
The Arab investors, Golden Corporate Heritage (CGH), will carry out joint projects with the state-owned Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI).
Arab City on Pulau Melaka involves the development of a three-storey shopping complex including an Arabian bazaar, Middle Eastern restaurants and cafes and a unisex Arabic health and beauty spa.
The Klebang project involves the construction of a five-star hotel, a water theme park, an aquarium and a floating restaurant.
GCH managing director Hesham Eldin Fath Mohamed Khalil said the company was also looking at developing an Arab Village in Kampung Jawa.
Arab City on Pulau Melaka is expected to be completed by the end of next year and the one in Klebang in 2012.
37 comments:
hi, Aunty.
why can't we be like the Americans? you know, take Arab money but keep to our --- begedhels.
Melakans should be ashamed of this new development. they have gone from empire to tiny state, and looks like they'll soon be a satellite town of the Arab Emirates – plastic and full of well, foreigners.
There'll be a bunch of Arabs with Melaka Datukship after this for sure...hahahah....
Seriously, have they not be a tourist?
If I go to Myanmar, I want to feel Myanmar.
Just like the horrible looking Taj Mahal.
Seriously..
A Unisex Arabic Health & Beauty Spa.. I can't wait for it to materialize already ... Seriously!
hate it too but cant do anything
If I wanted to experience Arab culture, I would have bloody gone to Arabia, or Iran, or the UAE, or some country that actually sits in the Middle East.
Oh Brilliant ! , an Arab City at my doorstep ... I can see other endless possibilities coming our way... An English City , A Japanese City , A Chinese City , American , Australian , etc ... the list is endless ...just let your imagination run wild folks !!
Then the Arabs will stop coming because they will find no reason to come here to savour their own culture here. People want to enjoy Malay culture in a malay sultanate and enjoy our malay food.
If he can have it his way, Ali Rustam wants Malaysia to be part of UAE.
Err, but do they want us?
I am from Melaka. I prefer the old town flavour of Melaka and that's what attracts many to my hometown! I doubt this Arab project will be successful. We hardly see a single Arab tourist in Melaka!
Bintulu , what you talking about ???. to enjoy Malay culture & malay food ?? ... naw!!! you'll have to go to the kampongs for that .
Why can't we be ourselves i.e. Malaysians? Satay, Ketupat, Karipup, Char Kuey Teow, Chapati, Roti Chanai and all?
Oh, Manglish too.
And that's exactly why I object to Petronas spending millions every year so that a few here can become familiar with Bach, Beethoven and Brahms!
Why do we have this insane desire to promotion other peoples' culture with our Taxpayers' money?
Is there a Mak Yong dance and music centre anywhere in London or a 'Malaysia' village in Dubai or Kuwait?
So, why are we bending over backwards for imported culture?
And what's this with cance and air pollution and banning cigarettes but Sisha (hookah)corners are sprouting up all over Selangor & KL, refequented mainly by school children!
Stop it PM and Minister for Culture! Get Malaysia going. The West and Middle East don't need our help!
http://donplaypuks.blogspot.com
jangankan pelancong asing saje yang nak tengok budaya kita, saya yang dari ipoh ni pun nak pergi melaka tgk rumah melaka dengan tangga berjubin dan bumbung bercat jalur gemilang tu!
bukan nak tgk bedouin camp...
:)
This is a no-no for Melaka. Crazy man, RM1bil?
mm...it,s all about making "easy money"...isn't this some kind of "subkon" culture?
we already have Kampung Arab, in Port Dickson.
just a question, can any tourist spot with that large area survive based on local customer only? I said local customer cos if they were to built an Arabic city in, say, Indonesia, i would not have gone there to see it anyway. would you?
we already have one in bukit bintang!
see the stalls and restaurants turning into an arab area....
"I don't now about Arab tourists but when I travel I want to see the local culture over there."
You obviously don't know the nature of mass tourists. Just because you see things 'that way' -- doesn't mean that everyone else would (or should) take it the way you do. Many Chineses (from China) actually visit New York (and many other big cities in the world) because they want to see the 'China Towns' there. In fact, I got to know several friends (from Asia and Africa) that really enjoy the China Town in London (and regard it as one of the main attractions of England). I loved it too -- and honestly, found the experience in London's China Town more thrilling and pleasant than my trip to Beijing.
"I guess fake culture is always better than the genuine article, huh?"
Fake or not, tourism is all about business. I offer you one example. I am a Sabahan, and I definitely like the real thing. But I know many Sabahans who are willing to travel all the way to Lembah Kelang -- to get to Sunway Lagoon to enjoy the so-called "tropical beaches". Isn’t that ironic? We have many beautiful beaches here (merata-rata di Sabah), with real waves, natural sand, and at MUCH CHEAPER price. I also know that many tourists love go to the theme parks -- taman salji la, taman gurun la, taman tropika la -- in various parts of the world. Tourism is about marketing strategy. It’s not about logic. “Strange things”, sometimes, can really capture people’s attention and imagination. Sebab itu ada orang kemaruk mau melawat China Town di tengah-tengah kota New York. Sebab itu ada orang tergila-gila mau merasai pengalaman ‘hutan tropika’ (the artificial tropical garden) di London. Some people like genuine and authentic experiences. Some people like it to be ‘exotic’. The point is: rambut sama hitam, hati lain-lain.
"Besides didn't Melaka win some UNESCO heritage award for preserving its unique cultural environment?"
Melaka is big enough. There is a room for many things. Just because I tell you I want to grow strawberries at my backyard garden – doesn’t mean you can simply assume that I will abandon my kebun serai dan tanaman terung. Kenapa tidak melihat tindakan itu sebagai usaha menambah variasi produk? There is a difference between ‘addition’ and ‘replacement’. If we have the capacity to do both (which are: (i) maintaining and preserving what we currently have; and (ii) at the same time – venturing on other things) – then why not? Tourism is fashionable. Ia sentiasa dinamik berubah mengikut perubahan zaman. Bukan statik. Melaka, sebagai negeri yang sangat bergantung kepada aktiviti pelancongan sebagai sumber pendapatan negeri, perlulah kreatif untuk menjamin survival industri tersebut.
"Why are we changing our local culture, in one of our most historical cities, to a foreign one?"
Local culture? Foreign culture? Who has the authority to define what is local and what is not (when it comes to culture)? And what are the benchmarks for it?
Mengajar remaja dan beliawan menggunakan kondom dalam hubungan seks (di luar perkahwinan) – to me that is CERTAINLY not a local culture. Dalam budaya tempatan Malaysia, untuk mengelakkan jangkitan hiv – kita galakkan ahli masyarakat menjauhi aktiviti seks di luar ikatan perkahwinan. For so many years – I personally think that strategy is one of the most effective ways to prevent hiv. Mengajar orang pakai kondom (which indirectly encourage people to have sex outside of wedlock – yang sekaligus meningkatkan kebarangkalian ‘budaya berbilang pasangan’) tentu bukan budaya kita. As far as I know.
Now, don’t misunderstand my point. This is not about hiv/aids. Itu hanya contoh dan analogi. What ever strategies you try to adopt – mesti ada pro dan kontra. But my question is: in what situation we are allowed to adopt foreign culture over the local ones? Tell me.
SamWise: "I said local customer cos if they were to built an Arabic city in, say, Indonesia, i would not have gone there to see it anyway. would you?"
I would. I love anomaly. I like paradox. Many tourists are actually obsessed with twisted reality. Saya sungguh teruja mahu datang melawat pusat orang utan di Perak yang baru dibangunkan. Seriously, it is something that I REALLY want to experience. Tahap ujaan itu jauh lebih tinggi daripada perasaan saya ketika berpeluang melawat pusat orang utan di Sepilok Sabah buat pertama kali.
It's not a question of whether it is fake or authenic. When things defy the odds -- that naturally becomes an attraction itself. People love 'drama'. It offers something more interesting and thrilling. :)
Ualah... when I was in L.A. for surgery, a Malaysian migrated to L.A. twenty years ago, visited and brought me to eat Malaysian food over there, even on the day I was scheduled to fly home! But I told him the irony of that much later because I did not want to offend the friend.
Malacca is already so hot and humid, imagine what it would become with these frivolous developments.
I am not good with local government and politics, so I wonder why isn't there a state legislature or something that developers must gain permission from, before embarking on any big projects like this one.
Rem: You might have a point if this case was concerning a project under a better managed government with strict policies on how far developers can go, and what they are required to adhere to in order to conserve the environment in the process of developing their projects. But in Malaysia, history tells me that with any mega-sized projects like this, local culture will be eroded. What made you say Malacca is big? There's only Jonker Street left for us to appreciate Malaccan culture. Soon enough, the fort will be totally eroded too. I think we should look at history to see whether our cities can take on and survive a facelift.
I don't know about other countries as I've only been to the U.S. In L.A. there is a Chinatown built by the Chinese community who sought refuge in North America and eventually settled there. Same goes for Little Tokyo, KoreanTown, Little India, and so on. That's real culture.
But this project in concern, Kampung Arab, is not going to be the result of natural culture change. It will be done deliberately and artificially.
This project is about recreating human culture. It is different from recreating experiences with nature, like amusement parks or conversation projects like Orang Utan parks. There is a very big difference. By the way, amusement parks can only be successful when they stimulate our psychological experiences. Can Kampung Arab do the same?
Well its to cater for the Middle-eastern tourists that are discovering S E Asia as their playground isnt it?
I dont think we can afford to argue with the tourist dollars, Dirham/Riyal, in this case, in this economic climate.
REM- The Chinatowns in London, New York are not artificial like this intended Arab village. They naturally came about because of the chinese immigrants who came to live and work there. This Arab village is pure artificial. Let me predict after this huge revelation in the papers, the work will start by cutting down precious trees etc... then half way true the investors run out of money or loose their interest and the whole thing will be shelved. what will be left is an eyesore, half finished..abandoned development just like what we see if we drive around the small towns in our country.
prvlabel: “The Chinatowns in London, New York are not artificial like this intended Arab village. They naturally came about because of the chinese immigrants who came to live and work there. This Arab village is pure artificial.”
Ok, the difference is noted. But still, to say that ‘artificially created cultural entities won’t attract tourists’ – that is a pure assumption. Speculation, at the best. Do we have any solid proof that it doesn’t work? Pusat Kebudayaan Monsopiad (Sabah) and the Cultural Village (Sarawak) – those are totally fake cultural set-up. I know for sure, most of the people behind the Pusat Kebudayaan Monsopiad can’t even speak Kadazandusun. And, some may never been to a real kampung Kadazandusun.
However, both places still enjoy a huge number of tourists(consistently for the past several years). Both locals and outsiders. Maori Village (at Rotorua) is another good example that recreated human culture does really work – as far as tourism is concerned. Banyak lagi contoh lain. Just search the net.
Yvonne Foong: “This project is about recreating human culture. It is different from recreating experiences with nature, like amusement parks or conversation projects like Orang Utan parks. There is a very big difference.”
Seriously, I don’t see any big difference there. Why such effort can’t stimulate psychological experiences? If anything, I would say that recreating human culture is far more ‘dramatic’ (thus, it may generate even bigger interest!) – than recreating a mere physical artificial experience (i.e. conservation, amusement parks, etc).
If the British artificially recreate a Kadazan Village somewhere in the UK, honestly... it would be one of the places I love to visit. I may be not stupid enough to travel all the way to the UK JUST to see the artificial version of my own culture – BUT IF I happen to be in there for some other reasons (i.e. attending conferences, visiting friends, etc) – there is a 99% of probability that I would visit that village. Come on, a Kadazan Village in UK – doesn’t that sound psychologically amazing and thrilling? Even for a Kadazan like me!
May be the government of Melaka can sense that sort of sentiment. Kita ada ramai pelancong Arab yang kaya-raya datang ke Malaysia. But most of them just get stuck in KL. I’m not saying that KL doesn’t need their money. Tapi Melaka sebagai satu-satunya negeri di Malaysia yang sangat bergantung kepada industri pelancongan – they need to do something, so they can get some of the attention too. Of course, it is silly to think that the Arab tourists would eagerly choose Malaysia as their holiday destination – PURELY because we have one Arab Village in Melaka. But bear in the mind, the main target is the Arabs who are already in Malaysia. Obviously, kerajaan Melaka tidak mahu pelancong-pelancong Arab ini hanya membantu menumbuhkan ekonomi Lembah Kelang. Mereka juga mahukan faedah dari pelancong kaya ini. That’s why they come up with a strategy. And the fact that they have some real Arabs willingly invest in those projects – that really tells us something. The potential market is definitely there. It is just a matter of translating the potential into reality.
Ok fine, we never know for sure what this project would turn into. Mungkin projek ini berjaya. Mungkin juga ia akan gagal. Doesn’t matter what the outcome is. I still praise Melaka for this bold move. Untuk menjadi lebih kreatif, kompetetif dan berani mempelbagaikan produk pelancongan (since this state is extremely dependant on tourism). Unlike some people who just sit still: speculating all kind of negativities. Being a typical pessimist – something most Malaysians are really good at. :)
Hidup Islam sejati hidup bahasa Melayu Allah Maha Besar.........
REM,
If the British artificially recreate a Kadazan Village somewhere in the UK, honestly... it would be one of the places I love to visit. **I may be not stupid enough to travel all the way to the UK JUST to see the artificial version of my own culture – BUT IF I happen to be in there for some other reasons (i.e. attending conferences, visiting friends, etc)** – there is a 99% of probability that I would visit that village.
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wait a sec while i laugh at your 'happen to be there'..WUAHAHAHAHAH. *sniff sniff*...seriously, why dont you apply for a job with the Sunway Business Development unit, i'm sure they need a good laugh too. WUAHAHAHAHA....
a commercial kadazan village in US...WUAHAHAHAHA...i think you just may have killed my other 8 lives.
maybe lets do it on a smaller scale, test the market so to speak. Maybe you can open a Nasi Kandar restaurant in perth, Australia. Get some Minister to officiate it or something, it would be great to get the PM. That would certainly help to bring in the good chi for your biz. THen IF, IF ya, IF I happen to be around Perth for a meeting or sumthin, i'll 99% visit to see if it is still alive. WUAHAHAHAHA.....
REM, i'm sure you would have a great time visiting Kampung Arab again and again...and again?
i'm also sure that Kampung Arab will be a big hit *eyes rollin* with all Malaysians & overseas visitors alike.
i'm so sure that Ali Baba's wife will not be involved in the 'landscaping beautification' project which will be..maybe...50%-60& of the cost of the project? *Gack*
I'm so *ock sure i'll be eating my words and congratulating Ali Rustam for a great BN project *faint*....
a BN made pessimist...
SamWise: "a commercial kadazan village in US...WUAHAHAHAHA...i think you just may have killed my other 8 lives"
God actually gives you 8 lives? Good for you then. God must have known how fuck-up your life would turn into -- that HE actually provides you with eight opportunities to redeem yourself, and your sorry life. Poor Adolf Hitler. Poor Saddam Hussin. They only have one.
BTW, mind if I ask: why do you need 'Wise' next to your name? So other readers can actually see (just in case they don't!) how WISE you are? :)
Hmmm, sometimes... when the product is that bad -- it really needs an extra glaring and telling ads. Good marketing strategy mate! Have a nice productive day... :)
This is something I would like to share with all friends.When I first went into Lim Kit Siang's blog (blog.limkitsiang.com), the first thing I read is him calling Mukhriz (Jerlun MP) and Tan Keng Liang (gerakan kedah youth chief) as people "lack of grey matters" and silly. That was about 2 weeks ago. Today, I read that he said "the IQ of the Health Minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, who is MCA Vice President and Penang MCA State chief, is highly suspect when he could not understand simple English". The problem is that the more Lim Kit Siang branding that he is smarter than the rest of the people in the world (which I don't belief), the more people will just see him as a person barking on the wrong tree. I support DAP but I wish that our party's chairman can be more polite when addressing other leaders (whether they are Barisan or Pakatan). Otherwise, this will set bad example to the new generation of Malaysians.
Oh, you are bringing in God now? How typical. Let's play then.
REM: how do you know how fucked up my life is? Did I tell you during pillow talk, Fatimah?
Yeah, it's pretty much fucked up and yeah God gave me 9 lives and you wasted 8 of it. How many times have you heard God actually gave a person 9 lives BTW? Oh wait till HE hears what happened to 8 of it that you wasted. Oh, you are so fucked! :)
what are you REM? Run-on Empty Mofo? No wonder you hide it in acronym just in case you need a job. Why 'naked', everyone know you are a sex offender the moment you open your mouth...why amplify it? *tsk*tsk*tsk*
SOmetimes when the idea defended is just plain shite, you need to write long winding explanation to fool especially yourself. Hope your boss find you useful too ya. You and your IF i'm there, i'll 99% go visit Arab venture... :))
SamWise: "How do you know how fucked up my life is? Did I tell you during pillow talk, Fatimah?"
How did I know? LOL! ROFL! Why do I need anyone to tell me? Please re-read your first post, dear. Yes, please DO REREAD it. That post basically exposes everything. :)
If that's not an indication of a fucked-up life: then good for you. I guess upbringing and life values are defined differently -- depending on where you come from. Ah, well...
SamWise: "SOmetimes when the idea defended is just plain shite, you need to write long winding explanation to fool especially yourself."
Plain sh*t, huh? And this coming from you? :) Again, I feel like laughing out loud and rolling all over the floor. I presented facts and examples to back-up my case. What do you bring in your counter arguments? :)
I normally can handle ignorance and stupidity. No matter how extreme they are. But when things go beyond those, I'll give up.
Sorry SamWise, it has been nice knowing you and reading what you have to say. But I'll stop here. Thank you for your time. Please find someone else to fix your outlook. I can't. And, I'm officially giving up now.
Good luck. :)
And, I'm officially giving up now.
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REM: That is my plan actually.
WUAHAHAHAH!!
Well said Marina,
What a waste of money when so much more could be done to bring our history back...'A Formasa' could be rebuilt' or the Flor de lama could be un-earthened
REM and SamWise, thank you for closing that particularly discussion. I was going to do that myself.
I wonder if the "Arabs" really want this, or if like many foreign tourists, they would prefer to see the "real" Malaysia? I am from the UK and whilst I must admit a lot of my fellow Brits like to go to places particularly in Europe where they can have all their home comforts such as fish and chips and large quantities of beer, many of us actually appreciate local culture and traditions. We want to expand our horizons. Melaka is one of my favourite parts of Malaysia and I believe much of the development will really enhance what is an important part of Malaysian history.
Poor Melaka sold down the River. It must retain it's heritage and uniqueness. That is what makes melacca special and as an Englishman living there i relish. If you want a 'fake' Arab town put it somewhere else UP or Down the coast. Do not try to blend it with what is REAL and history. Lesson from UK...... enhance your areas of history and natural beauty to attract people from afar. Do not PLONK a fake resort in the middle or even close by. Encourage people to come and they will [they are already].
This is a money spinner in the worst Malay sense. I pass judgment after 20 years coming and working in Melaka and now living in melacca so lets think allot more before we go ahead. Remember reversing out of these projects are very hard once under way.
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